Low Dose of Droperidol in Vitreoretinal Surgery

Aim: To investigate the efficacy and safety of low dose of droperidol for the prophylaxis of post-operative nausea and vomiting following vitrectomy in diabetic patients. Design and Settings: Randomised placebo controlled double blinded study conducted in the Department of Ophthalmology, King Hussein Medical Center in Royal Medical Services. Methods: Patients with proliferative diabetic retinopathy scheduled for pars plana vitrectomy were randomised either to receive droperidol 10ug/kg 5-10 minutes at the end of surgery or saline (placebo) as a control group. 120 patients were enrolled in the study; 58 males and 62 females aging 40-78 years. Standardised general anaesthesia was performed. Thiopentone 4mg/kg, vecuronium 0.1mg/kg, fentanyl 1ug/kg was given intravenously combined with ventilated sevoflurane 1% through laryngeal mask. Tidal volume was 7ml/kg and respiratory rate was 10/minute. Episodes of vomiting, nausea and retching were recorded for 24 hours and were graded into none, mild, moderate, and severe. Results: 45 patients (75%) of group receiving droperidol did not experience post operative nausea or vomiting while 41.7% of the control group experienced it. There were no significant extrapyramidal or cardiac side effects in the droperidol group. Conclusion: Low dose droperidol is considered to be effective and safe in vitreoretinal surgery.